New to rimfire, any tricks I need to know?

[Crackerbacks]

So I picked up a 2013 benchrest to shoot some 100yrd egg matches this year. From what I am reading brand and lot# really make a huge differance so I know I need to purchased a bunch and try them. Should I test them at 100yrds or 50, I am concerned about wind at 100. Also I am seeing "rim thickness gauges" do I need one of those?

Any guidance is appreciated

Here is my set up:

 

[dogdude]

Test everything @ 50yrds, don't buy a bunch of ammo off the shelf..speed is the King, get ammo that has the speed on the box (Eley), buy 3-4 boxes @ 1050-1055, 1055-1060 up to 1080..then you can worry about lot# and machine # when you find a speed your rifle likes..as far as a Rim thickness gauge, don't bother, I have used one and I wish it did what it's suppose to.
PS: That's a very nice looking set up you have Crackerbacks!!

 

[savagedasher]

No shooting sport is more dependent on bullet speed and the uses of a tunner then RF.
Center Fire is very slow to realize the effect of both .
100 yd RF is like shooting 1000 YD center fire .
Es and bullet speed is paramount and the use of a tuner .
Good luck with your new sport Larry

 

[a1712]

Call Dan Killough and make a test appointment. Cheapest and easiest way to get some ammo your rifle prefers. Brian.

 

[Shynloco]

IMHO, most of what appears in the posts ahead of mine is true. And if you need help with anything related to RIMFIRE, call or go see Dan Killough and his guys. They have and pretty much know it better than most. But I'm not sure I completely agree with the idea of sending your rifle down to Dan's shop, if that's what was proposed. YOU are the one going to be shooting it and off YOUR setup. SO I'm more in favor of doing you ammo testing yourself. And yes a Tuner (I used a Harrell until I got out of Rimfire competition) is needed, but I've tried sorting via rim thickness and have found no - little benefit, WHEN USING TOP QUALITY RIMFIRE AMMO. And GOOD QUALITY ammo isn't cheap. Personally, my Anschutz gave me best groups and shot the most consistently(@50 yds which is where many competitions shot) using Federal Ultra Match UM22 and I used Lapua CenterX and Lapua Midas Plus to practice, that after I extensively tested all Eley top brands. But not to restrict testing ideas, RIMFIRE is so very critically dependent on matching ammo with a rifle, something I cannot overemphasize. SO if I may offer a suggestion, see and if you can buy a box or two of each top brand and go test. And lot numbers matter when you do find your GO TO ammo as you'd be surprised to see groups open up with different lot numbers. That's why you see the serious RIMFIRE guys buy a large quantity of the same lots of rimfire ammo.

Lastly remember, what ammo works in one rifle, won't necessarily perform equally as well in another, even if they are the same model and have consecutive serial numbers. Good luck and have fun!

Alex

 

[Crackerbacks]

Thanks for the info guys! I think I am going to try to test some ammo on my own first, it's my toy and I want to play with it .

I was considering a harrels tuner but honestly don't know a thing about them. If I find a ammo that shoots then get a tuner do I have to start over?

 

[Ggmac]

Practice , and flags , practice and flags .

 

[lawman29]

For shooting at 100 yds you should some RWS R100.

 

[Tommie]

1) Buy one box of every brand and style of 22 ammo you can get your hands on.
2) Shoot each type of ammo in a semi-controlled environment.
3) Determine which specific box of ammo shoots the best in your gun and note the lot number.
4) Spend several paychecks worth on your gun's pet load.

 

[Kings X]

Keep ammo in an ice chest. Only take out what you need to shoot in the next 1/2 hour

 

[patriot]

If you are going to shoot at 100 yards, test at 100 yards. Some ammo that shoots well at 50 won't perform at 100. Eley velocity numbers are unreliable. I'd rather find the most consistent ammo then tune the rifle to the ammo, the other approach can be slow and expensive. If you are looking for minute of egg at 100, Center X should get the job done. Eley EPS is designed for 50 yards. Some top shooters believe a round nose bullet performs better in the wind at 100.

 

[Hippy]

Come see us at a range near you.

You bring your rifle... and we will bring the rest!

• March 12-18 NRA Metric Match/Western Wildcat--Ben Avery Shooting Range, Phoenix, AZ
• April 7-18 Junior Olympics--Olympic Training Center, Colorado Springs, CO
• May 24-28 Triple Crown of Rimfire-- Kettlefoot Gun Club, Bristol, VA
• June 7-11 Palmyra 6400 -- Palmyra Sportsmens Assoc., Palmyra, PA
• July 8-15 NRA National Smallbore Rifle Championships, Wa-Ke'-De Rifle Range, Bristol, IN
• July 14-15 Professional Shooting League , Van Dyne Sportsmens Club, Van Dyne, WI
• Aug. 30-Sept. 3 ARA National Tournament- Bench Rest Rifle Club of St. Louis, Wright City, MO

***Testing dates are subject to change depending on demand, weather, & wind.***

Make your appointment and reserve your spot for ELEY mobile range testing.

This is Dan Killough latest dates and locations for his Eley Testing lab

Jim

 

[Fotheringill]

IMHO only:

1. Don't worry about a tuner until you find out what shoots best in your rifle. THEN, play with tuners. It will be a lot cheaper in the long run.

2. Find the most accurate ammo for your rifle by process of elimination. It will be one of the top or second shelf ammo. Don't bother with the really cheap stuff. Shoot in as near duplicate conditions re: wind and temperature as you can. Do NOT dismiss Eley red or black because you had poorer groups. Eley puts out ammo based upon speed in FPS. 1080 FPS ammo may shoot better than 1042 FPS in your rifle or maybe not. I like Eley a lot, but I will tell you it was expensive getting to the right speed for my 1913a. And then there is lot number. 1049 Lot X made in 2016 may be better for you than 1049 with different lot and year.

3. Clean your rifle carefully and well before testing another ammo. It may take 5-15 or so fouling shots that you will ignore for score, but it is necessary to not be shooting another brand's lube/wax/God knows what with your new ammo. You will be sure to get a false reading.

4. Do NOT get overly frustrated. It is a process. If the guy next to you is shooting a Lapua .338 with a muzzle suppressor, change benches away from him/her or go for a walk and come back. The blast from that cannon can knock over a full 1/2 quart bottle of whatever you have on your bench.

5. Find the most comfortable trigger pull weight for your rifle and most consistent (for your pull) trigger adjustments re: angles, cant, pull, etc.. IIRC, you can go down to 2 oz. pull on that rifle. For starters, you might feel more comfortable with something in the 5-7 oz range.

6. Make sure you mount your scope (or mount your iron sights) appropriately. Do not over tighten either and use a torque wrench for the screws. Make sure they remain at the appropriate torque before you shoot another day. Or use Locktite once everything is set up nicely.

7. HAVE FUN AND ENJOY YOUR NEW RIFLE.

 

[grillzilla]

Keep ammo in an ice chest. Only take out what you need to shoot in the next 1/2 hour

with ice ???

 

[TZaun]

I'm with everybody that says not to waste a dime buying random lots to test. Just call Dan Killough. You will be SO much more money ahead. Been there, done that.

 

[1lnbrdg]

IMHO only:

1. Don't worry about a tuner until you find out what shoots best in your rifle. THEN, play with tuners. It will be a lot cheaper in the long run.

2. Find the most accurate ammo for your rifle by process of elimination. It will be one of the top or second shelf ammo. Don't bother with the really cheap stuff. Shoot in as near duplicate conditions re: wind and temperature as you can. Do NOT dismiss Eley red or black because you had poorer groups. Eley puts out ammo based upon speed in FPS. 1080 FPS ammo may shoot better than 1042 FPS in your rifle or maybe not. I like Eley a lot, but I will tell you it was expensive getting to the right speed for my 1913a. And then there is lot number. 1049 Lot X made in 2016 may be better for you than 1049 with different lot and year.

3. Clean your rifle carefully and well before testing another ammo. It may take 5-15 or so fouling shots that you will ignore for score, but it is necessary to not be shooting another brand's lube/wax/God knows what with your new ammo. You will be sure to get a false reading.

4. Do NOT get overly frustrated. It is a process. If the guy next to you is shooting a Lapua .338 with a muzzle suppressor, change benches away from him/her or go for a walk and come back. The blast from that cannon can knock over a full 1/2 quart bottle of whatever you have on your bench.

5. Find the most comfortable trigger pull weight for your rifle and most consistent (for your pull) trigger adjustments re: angles, cant, pull, etc.. IIRC, you can go down to 2 oz. pull on that rifle. For starters, you might feel more comfortable with something in the 5-7 oz range.

6. Make sure you mount your scope (or mount your iron sights) appropriately. Do not over tighten either and use a torque wrench for the screws. Make sure they remain at the appropriate torque before you shoot another day. Or use Locktite once everything is set up nicely.

7. HAVE FUN AND ENJOY YOUR NEW RIFLE.

And again, speed may not matter at all.

I've found some lots of Tenex at 1 speed shoot good and on a different lot of, never could duplicate that level of accuracy within that ~10fps average.

Truth is, trigger time is what works, find what works for you and stick with it.

Oh another idea, never test lots that have very little left in them, they will probably be gone when you figure out that they work.

 

[Crackerbacks]

So where can I get particular lot #s of centerX and Midas+?

 

[savagedasher]

Ask Doug Bell he is a member here .
Remfire is a sport that is Not for ever one.
To be a top shooter you better have DEEP pockets . Larry

 

[Crackerbacks]

Ask Doug Bell he is a member here .
Remfire is a sport that is Not for ever one.
To be a top shooter you better have DEEP pockets . Larry

Thanks, I was hoping this would be cheaper than fclass lol.
I don't need to be a top shooter, just want to bust a few eggs and maybe a few 60cal paintballs at 100yrds. I have zero interest in group shooting.

 

[patriot]

Champion Shooters or Champions Choice will sell you a few boxes of different lots if they have a good supply. Ask for ones where they have several cases. But you have to test quickly or the lot may be sold out from under you.